I have a 97 Dodge caravan sport.. battery light is on, replaced battery, started and after two or three hours, battery light back
I have been going round and round with this van…. I keep having problems with the battery. I changed the battery, alternator, starter.. changed the coil pack and wires. I noticed that when I turned on the radio, the battery light came back on. I'm at a loss and money. I can't afford to spend anymore money on this van. It was sitting for almost 3 months before I got the money for it to be fixed. Please help
My car has 212000 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.
Experienced mechanics share their insights in answering this question :
Hi there. Electrical issues like you are describing are typically caused by a constant parasitic drain. In most cases, this is due to an accessory relay that is faulty, allowing the component to constantly draw power from the battery. It could be other electrical problems causing this issue, so before you attempt any more repairs, it’s probably better money spent to have one of our mobile mechanics come to your location to complete a battery won’t hold a charge inspection. This will allow them to isolate the source of the drain and recommend the right repairs.
How to Identify and Fix Common car Problems ?
Our sources include academic articles, blog posts, and personal essays from experienced mechanics :
If your Dodge Grand Caravan battery warning light comes on while driving, be sure to turn off your accessories, so the battery doesn`t deposit further. The warning light usually means that the alternator isn`t working accurately meaning you are operating solely on battery power.
If the battery is in a good state, the multimeter should show a reading between 12 and 13 volts. Measure the starting voltage of your Grand Caravan: With the tips of the multimeter in the same position, and without breaking contact, we must turn the engine on and check how much the voltage drops when the engine starts.
If your Dodge Grand Caravan battery warning light comes on while driving, be hopeful to turn off your accessories, so the battery doesn`t discharge further. The warning light consistently means that the alternator isn`t working appropriately meaning you are operating absolutely on battery power.
An illuminated battery indicator can be caused by a number of issues, including: A loose or corroded battery cable. A problem with the alternator or voltage regulator. Damaged cells or plates inside the battery.
There are many reasons why your battery light could turn on. It could indicate a bad battery or dead battery, a charging problem, a faulty alternator, a wiring issue, and so on. And while driving with the vehicle`s battery light on is possible, it`s not recommended.
If the measured reading is less than 12.2 volts, the battery`s resting voltage is weak, which means it most likely needs to be charged or replaced.
What Voltage Should My 12v Battery Show? A fully charged 12 volt battery should read at 12.6 volts on the multimeter. If the reading is lower than this, you`ll want to charge your battery with either a battery charger or by taking your car for a drive.
Can I Keep Driving My Car if the Battery Light Is On? Yes, you can, for a short time. The light indicates that the alternator isn`t charging the battery, which means your car`s electrical system isn`t getting the needed power.
A dashboard battery light basically means there`s a battery charging problem. Your car isn`t getting enough voltage from the car battery to operate properly.
You will need a leisure battery in order for most of the 12V appliances in your caravan or motorhome to function but, even if it wasn`t essential, there is a very good reason for choosing to use a leisure battery rather than powering the devices directly from a mains charger or similar.
Depending on your type of battery, you can achieve 20 to 300 cycles (Flooder or Cheap), 400 to 500 cycles (gel) or 600 to 800 cycles ( AGM), while batteries with 5-year-guarantee give 1,000 cycles. Whenever your battery charge falls below 75% re-charge it; never let it level fall below 50%.
A leisure battery will be essential to power the appliances and equipment in your caravan or motorhome, providing a power source for the 12V appliances. It will be required to provide a steady level of power over a prolonged period of time, to power the likes of: The lights.
It is possible that the problems that you have been experiencing with the bad alternators have damaged the battery causing it to be weak. This would make the Battery Light come on. It is also possible that there is a problem with the fusible link or the alternator fuse for the charging system.
I did a bit of research and found a battery reset is required to resolve the issue. The message can reset by itself, but the car needs to sit undisturbed for at least eight hours. Perhaps with your work/driving schedule the car doesn`t sit long enough.
The red battery light basically means that there is an issue with your alternator, your battery, or some other part of the charging system which could be as minor as cabling or as major as a computer malfunction.
Some cars will get up to five or six years out of their battery, while others will need a new one after only two years. In general, your car will usually need a new battery after three to four years. Replacing your car battery is another part of routine maintenance.
Load Testing
As long as battery voltage remains above 9.6 volts, the battery is considered “good.” But if it drops below 9.6 volts by the end of the test, the battery may be “bad,” or the battery may have to be recharged and retested if it was not fully charged prior to the test.
For a car with a 12V engine, the normal value before starting is between 11.9V and 12.8V, and it should not exceed 14.8V after starting.
It is unsafe to drive with your car battery light on. Issues that activate your car battery light, like a defective battery or faulty alternator, can cause your car to lose power. In these instances, your car won`t operate as it normally would.
If your alternator is failing, its voltage may drop below capacity, causing the battery warning light to appear on your dash. Similarly, the battery light will also appear if the alternator is exceeding its voltage limit, depending on how much stress it is under.
It is unsafe to drive with your car battery light on. Issues that activate your car battery light, like a defective battery or faulty alternator, can cause your car to lose power. In these instances, your car won`t operate as it normally would.
If your alternator is failing, its voltage may drop below capacity, causing the battery warning light to appear on your dash. Similarly, the battery light will also appear if the alternator is exceeding its voltage limit, depending on how much stress it is under.
Relevant Questions and Answers :
the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue
I have a 97 Dodge caravan sport.. battery light is on, replaced battery, started and after two or three hours, battery light back
ANSWER : Hi there. Electrical issues like you are describing are typically caused by a constant parasitic drain. In most cases, this is due to an accessory relay that is faulty, allowing the component to constantly draw power from the battery. It could be other electrical problems causing this issue, so before you attempt any more repairs, it’s probably better money spent to have one of our mobile mechanics come to your location to complete a battery won’t hold a charge inspection. This will allow them to isolate the source of the drain and recommend the right repairs.
New battery & fuel pump. Hours later car starts and shuts down 3X in a row. Finally it starts, 48 hours later, won’t start at all
ANSWER : Checking all the fuses was a good move. I would also want to put a scan tool on it and check for diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) as well as seeing the data that the computer is seeing.
A fuel pressure test would be a good idea to verify correct pressure and so that you’d be able to eliminate that possibility. It should be 58psi on your Magnum.
I also recommend getting your battery tested (I know, it’s new, have it tested anyway) and be sure it’s charged to at least 75%. And yes, loose battery cable connections can result in electrical problems.
If you need some assistance with this, consider enlisting a certified mechanic who can perform the checks I’ve mentioned and diagnose your starting issue firsthand. The mechanic can then perform the necessary repairs once the problem has been isolated. Good luck.
in my car battery warning light appearing while driving.so I have replaced both battery and alternater still light is on
ANSWER : As you may yourself have seen, there are many reports of this fault with the Civic, that is a battery or alternator is replaced only to have the warning light fail to extinguish despite checking every conceivable electrical possibility. Your only recourse is to have a certified mechanic go through that exercise with your car and that involves first attempting to "re-set" the light. If the warning light returns, the alternator output has to be carefully measured both loaded and unloaded. All terminal connections have to be verified including all grounds. Fuses have to be checked for integrity (continuity) and the possibility of shorts, in for example dash wiring, has to be checked. To request this repair, simply request an electrical components diagnostic and the responding certified mechanic will seek a resolution to this.
Fuel pump engages. Batery good, alternator good volts, jump start helps when wont start. Temp does not matter. Intermittent?
ANSWER : Hello. Thank you for writing in. There are several reasons your vehicle may only start when jump starting. The first and most common is a build up of resistance that is causing you to need a boost of voltage to get the engine started. This may be due to poor battery cables, a bad ground connection, a poor starter solenoid, and a couple of other issues. The first thing you want to do is perform a visual inspection of the starting system. Make sure there is no corrosion build up in the battery cables. You can also check the resistance across these wires and make sure you have a solid connection between components. You then want to make sure the starter solenoid is doing its job. It is responsible for taking the small amount of electricity sent by the ignition and turning it into a huge electrical charge that is strong enough to push over the engine with the help of some gear ratios in its favor. Do some more testing, and stick to the basics before assuming its something seriously complicated.
Battery light goes on when I start car then turns off, if I rev engine light comes back until rpms go down. Abs goes comes on/off
ANSWER : Batteries can die due to faults in the charging system so ideally a suspected "faulty" battery should be load tested before a decision is made to condemn it. The only exception to this rule is if the battery is already clearly "old" (greater than 5 years) but even then once you put a new battery in, as a replacement for a "dead" battery, you have to comprehensively check out the charging system. Diagnostic Trouble Code P0460 will result in disruption of the dashboard fuel gauge’s ability to accurately report your tank’s fuel levels. The fuel gauge readings may be erratic, or read somewhere off scale. Vehicles equipped with a low fuel warning light feature may also suffer from erratic low fuel warnings in the event of a code P0460. Unless the P0460 code has been reported alongside other trouble code, all of the vehicle’s essential systems should otherwise function normally. I would recommend that you request a check engine light diagnostic to first resolve the fault causing the P0460 code to set. The check gas cap light warning light could be due a faulty gas cap and/or small leaks in the EVAP system.
2005 Chrysler 300C changed battery and alternator. Car started, ran, and then battery light came on. Shut car off and wouldn’t start.
ANSWER : Hi. There is a couple of things that could be wrong here. The battery or alternator that was just installed could be defective. Theses parts need to be tested for proper operation. There also could be a fuse, fusible link, or wiring for the battery or charging system that is blown or broken causing the battery light to come on.
The codes that you have will cause the car to shut down, run rough, or not start at all. The crankshaft sensor and camshaft sensor should be replaced. I suggest having a certified technician from YourMechanic come diagnose the charging system and check engine codes to help you proceed with correct repairs.
Car won’t start. The check engine light, battery light, and oil change light are coming on. I tried jumping the car and nothing happened. Why won’t my car start?
ANSWER : Hi and thanks for contacting Your Mechanic. If sometimes your vehicle will start with the new alternator and sometimes it won’t, then there is a loose connection in your charging system. Check all of the wires to the alternator and to the battery. Make sure that the battery cables are clean and tight. Make sure that the wires to the starter are clean and tight. A loose ground to the ignition system will cause the vehicle to not crank over. Check all of the ground wires from the battery to the starter. Make sure that they are clean and tight. If you need further assistance troubleshooting your no start situation, then seek out a technician, such as one from Your Mechanic, that can assist you.
Brake light and battery light flashing after replacing HID’s, alternator and battery
ANSWER : It sounds like it may just be happenstance that the HID light bulbs were replaced and then the other problems started. The battery light is set to come on when the vehicle detects the alternator output is below 12 volts. When the battery voltage drops too low, it can cause the ABS system to become disabled. A relay that is a bad or a faulty battery cable can also cause these symptoms. A qualified technician, like the ones at YourMechanic, will be able to diagnose your brake light and battery light issues and perform any repairs required.
